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Panasonic LZ30

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30 front
 
Portability
66
Imaging
40
Features
32
Overall
36

Panasonic LZ30 overview

Panasonic LZ30 is Panasonic's Small Sensor Superzoom camera initially launched on January of 2013. It uses a 16 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456.

Panasonic brought out this camera as a way to improve the previous Panasonic LZ20 (Read Full Comparison) and afterwards brought out the more recent Panasonic LZ40 (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to improve this camera.

The LZ30 is scored #198 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and all-around #881 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. Remember to check out our Advanced camera filter to find camera results based on your custom requirements.

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Below is a chart of specific criteria used in the scoring system.

Panasonic LZ30 family

The Panasonic LZ30 comes with a history of related cameras. Underneath, you can look at all previous and more recent models along with important features.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-LZ40 front thumbnailPanasonic LZ40
LZ30 vs LZ40
22-924mm
F3.0-6.5
20MP1/2.3"2014
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-LZ30 front thumbnailPanasonic LZ3025-875mm
F3.0-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2013
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-LZ20 front thumbnailPanasonic LZ20
LZ30 vs LZ20
25-525mm
F3.1-5.8
16MP1/2.3"2012

Panasonic LZ30 Pros and Cons

Below is a checklist of good and bad points of the Panasonic LZ30 based on aspects that are usually viewed as important in a camera.

above average min ISO (100)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decently wide (25mm)
features tracking autofocus
flash built-in
great battery (380 shots)
long reach (875mm)
long zoom range (25-875mm 35.0 x zoom)
megapixel count good (16 megapixels)
screen is a good size (3")
can't change lens (fixed lens mount)
cannot use external flash
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
lack of aperture priority mode
lack of phase detect auto focus
lack of RAW support
manual focus not available
max zoom aperture not good (f5.9)
more heavy than competitors (552 grams)
no external microphone socket
no HDMI socket
no headphone socket
no shutter priority mode
no Timelapse mode
painfully slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
screen has low resolution (460 k dots)
screen is fixed
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
video resolution low (1280 x 720 resolution)
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Panasonic LZ30 Sensor details

The specification of the sensor on the Panasonic LZ30 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to resolve 4608 x 3456 pixels . The camera has got Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is superior than digital stabilization since the latter can easily cause cropping.

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The CCD sensor boasts 16 megapixels and supports a native ISO range of 100 to 6400. Unfortunately, RAW format is not supported therefore the user has less room to maneuver in post.

The graphic below shows the LZ30's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The LZ30 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is showcased in green.

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To get an understanding of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Panasonic LZ30 dimensions

Panasonic LZ30 weighs about 1.22 pounds (552g or 19.47 oz) and the measurement of the camera is 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6"). The weight of normal Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387g and the Panasonic LZ30 is heavier when compared to various rivals.

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Below is a pic of the Panasonic LZ30 with a softdrink so you can have a sense of its scale.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30 dimensions scale

The top view here will provide the button layout on the LZ30.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30 topview buttons dials

Panasonic LZ30 Lens specs

The LZ30 includes a built-in lens featuring a focal range of 25-875mm making it a 35.0 x zoom which is great and does make it easier to zoom right in.

At the widest 25mm, it provides an aperture of f3.0 which will be quite slow and not ideal in low light occasions and you will struggle to capture good bokeh. You will probably also have to boost the ISO setting producing noisy photographs. Towards the tele end, 875mm is fantastic zoom and comes to f5.9 which is really slow and you may need to go with slow shutter speeds.

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Panasonic LZ30 Connectivity

The LZ30 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Cameras that include NFC or Bluetooth support can be used wirelessly through smartphones. You can transfer photos and oftentimes change settings without the hassle of connecting straight to the camera.

Certain applications even enable a Liveview and click the shutter when you aren't near the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI out, it can be hooked up to an external screen. The majority of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery using the USB socket.

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Panasonic LZ30 Video specs

The maximum video resolution on the Panasonic LZ30 is 1280 x 720 and it can shoot in Motion JPEG format. 720p is low by today's standards. You really should try to get a minimum FUll HD resolution for good video. The camera doesn't feature a mic or headphone jack which means that you have little control over your sound. It is perhaps best to purchase an alternative camera should you need decent sound in your video clips.

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Panasonic LZ30 Weather Sealing

Panasonic LZ30 doesn't include weather sealing so damp conditions can easily ruin the camera.

Panasonic LZ30 Display and Viewfinder

The Panasonic LZ30 houses a 3" fixed display supporting a resolution of 460k dots.

Unfortunately the display is not a touch screen.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30 screen and viewfinder AI-made Images of Food Appear More Delicious Than Real Photos

The View Finder details regarding Panasonic LZ30 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are pretty useful for bright outdoor situations which will make the camera display washed out and very difficult to view.

Panasonic LZ30 Shutter specs

Panasonic LZ30 continuous shooting speed is 1.0 frames per second. The max shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds.

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Panasonic LZ30 Flash and Hot shoe specs

Panasonic LZ30 has got only integrated flash with missing external flash ability.

Panasonic LZ30 Autofocusing specs

Panasonic LZ30 has got just Contrast Based Auto Focus and doesn't have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is more faster and exact when compared to Contrast Based focusing.

It also comes with Tracking Auto Focus for objects that move. Panasonic LZ30 doesn't have manual focusing. Manual focusing can be useful for low light or you want more accurate control on depth of field.

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Panasonic LZ30 Battery life

The battery (4 x AA) for the Panasonic LZ30 is made to last for 380 clicks according to the CIPA standards making it above standard when compared to its category. The general Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR has got the highest possible (600) battery life for this type of cameras.

Here is a listing of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras that come with the strongest battery life:

Panasonic LZ30 for varying types of photography

The following illustration shows a analysis of the Panasonic LZ30 for varying types of photography. To learn more, visit the specific paragraph below.

Panasonic LZ30 Portrait photography highlights

The Panasonic LZ30 has a points tally of 32 which is low, meaning that it is not really appropriate to use for portrait images. Photographing portraits favors heavily to sensor dimension, RAW support and potential to use external lighting.

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decent MP (16 megapixels)
manual focus not available
cannot use external flash
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support

Street photography with Panasonic LZ30

Coming in at a low rating of 43, the Panasonic LZ30 is not really appropriate for street photography. A good street photography camera comes with a good balance of picture quality and portability.

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built in image stabilization (Optical)
no moving screen
small sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW support
heavier than competition in class (552 grams)

Panasonic LZ30 Sports photography information

A decent sports photography points tally of 47 indicates the Panasonic LZ30 is relatively acceptable for photographing sports. A camera must have fantastic autofocus plus shutter speeds for sports photography.

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incredible zoom range (25-875mm 35.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good megapixels (16MP)
features tracking focus
great battery pack (380 shots)
slow fps (1.0 fps)
no shutter priority
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
has no phase detect autofocus

Travel photography with Panasonic LZ30

Portability is very crucial when picking a camera for travel. All things considered, the Panasonic LZ30 gets a moderate 56 as a travelling camera which is fairly appropriate to purchase for your travels.

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better than average battery power (380 per charge)
megapixel count good (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
fairly wide (25mm)
great zoom (875mm)
lack of Timelapse recording
more heavy than average (552 grams)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.0)

Panasonic LZ30 Landscape photography information

When you're looking to buy a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most vital factor will be image quality. The Panasonic LZ30 and it's low score of 45 for a landscape camera is not really appropriate compared to its competitors.

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rather wide (25mm)
screen is a decent size (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
sensor resolution is decent (16 megapixels)
great battery pack (380 shots)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
no Time Lapse recording

Panasonic LZ30 Vlogging details

A camera for vlogging ought to come with a moving display screen, microphone port and if possible image stabilization. Taking everything into account, the Panasonic LZ30 is not really appropriate as a vlog camera as it comes to a low rating of 22.

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pretty wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
screen is not selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 pixels)
does not have mic jack
heavier than competitors (552 grams)

Panasonic LZ30 Alternatives

If you want replacements to the LZ30, here is a number of the highest ranked cameras that fall under the category of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The diagram down below gives you a bird's eye view of the LZ30 versus it's top ranked rivals listed above.

Here are a few more cameras you may check out as alternative options. To see a full comparison, visit the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Panasonic
Model type
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30
Type
Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced
2013-01-07
Physical type
SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16MP
Anti alias filter
Maximum resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW format
Maximum native ISO
6400
Minimum native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Cross type focus points
0
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
25-875mm (35.0x)
Max aperture
f/3.0-5.9
Macro focusing distance
1cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Type of display
Fixed Type
Display sizing
3"
Display resolution
460k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Display tech
TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Slowest shutter speed
15 seconds
Maximum shutter speed
1/2000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate
1.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
4.40 m
Flash settings
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution
1280x720
Video data format
Motion JPEG
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
552g (1.22 lb)
Physical dimensions
124 x 84 x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6")
Other
Battery life
380 images
Battery type
AA
Battery ID
4 x AA
Self timer
Yes (2 0r 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots
One
Cost at launch
$230